Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett has presided over three straight 8-8 seasons and is entering the final year of his contract. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones continues to say that his coach is not on the hot seat.

"In terms of the record of this team, this is not a make or break situation for Jason," Jones said. "Members of this staff, we've got a job to do. We obviously are gonna see what we're doing this afternoon and what we're doing the next day and the next day and the next day."

"I know firsthand we've got a relationship. There's nobody that has a better feel for me than Jason in terms of relationship. We both know where our expectations are and when it's looking good and when it's looking dire. I don't expect it to be the latter."

It's hard to imagine Garrett surviving another season out of the playoffs. Actions speak loudest, and it's rare to see an NFL coach enter a "lame duck" season without a new deal. If Jones really wanted to support Garrett, he'd pay him. Still, Jones has showed unusual patience because of Garrett's long track record with the team.

"We've put a lot of effort in training as a franchise into Jason Garrett, and I want to take advantage of that," Jones said in December when he announced Garrett was coming back. "If we don't have him, we don't get payback for all the miscues and losses and criticism of sideline management. We don't get a chance to benefit from the one way you learn, and that is the mistakes you make."

Garrett has made his share of sideline errors over the years, but the Cowboys' personnel mistakes have been worse. We know the general manager in Dallas isn't going anywhere, but we do expect a new coach in Dallas next season unless Garrett can finally deliver a winning record.